Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action

Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action is the only group dedicated to protecting clean air for healthy children and healthy communities in Colorado and the surrounding region. We are fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, all donations are tax deductible. Online at www.ourcleanair.org.

From Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action's standpoint, the big question is, is CEMEX fully safeguarding public health? The answer is NO. They're still operating without legally required air pollution controls, controls that would help everyone in the community of Lyons breathe easier. What's more, installing up-to-date air pollution controls would help reduce smog and help safeguard Rocky Mountain National Park, the crown jewel of the Rockies.

As far as public health goes, CEMEX seems to have yet to make any improvements.

Thursday, October 18, 2007

Kansas Coal Burning Power Plant Denied

Read it for yourself. The state of Kansas denied an air pollution permit for a new coal burning power plant because of its greenhouse gas emissions. This is the paradigm change, folks. Kansas took the lead and we guarantee you everyone else will follow.

Monday, October 08, 2007

We've Been in New Mexico

Everyone's probably wondering why we haven't posted since September 17th. No, it's not because there's been no news--there's been plenty (like the state of Colorado considering adopting clean car standards). Part of it's because we've been in New Mexico.

Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action is dedicated to protecting clean air in Colorado, as well as the surrounding region. And last week, we took our week south to Santa Fe, New Mexico this time achieving a key win in the fight against climate change.

At a two-day rulemaking hearing, we provided critical testimony supporting efforts to require the oil and gas industry to report their greenhouse gas pollution. The oil and gas industry is responsible for nearly 24% of all greenhouse gases in the state, second only to coal burning power plants. And of the oil and gas industry's greenhouse gases, 32% is methane, which is 21 times more potent than carbon dioxide as a greenhouse gas.

The state of New Mexico is working toward a 75% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050. Of the options on the table, methane reductions from the oil and gas industry promise to yield the most cost-effective greenhouse gas reductions for the state. Methane reductions are so effective at fighting climate change that the Governor of New Mexico has called for a 20% reduction in methane by 2020.

Despite all this, the state was proposing to exclude the oil and gas industry from key greenhouse gas reporting rules. The rules would require large sources of greenhouse gases to report their emissions to set up future reductions.

Remember, climate change is a clean air issue and Rocky Mountain Clean Air Action is helping mount the charge to make sure the oil and gas industry, like everyone else, helps do their part to tackle global warming. We've done it in New Mexico, now it's time to go to back to Colorado.